Mechanical loading on articular cartilage induces various mechanical stresses and strains. In vitro hydrodynamic forces such as compression, shear and tension impact various cellular properties including chondrogenic differentiation, leading us to hypothesize that shaking culture might affect the chondrogenic induction of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) constructs. Three-dimensional mouse iPSC constructs were fabricated in a day using U-bottom 96-well plates, and were subjected to preliminary chondrogenic induction for 3 days in static condition, followed by chondrogenic induction culture using a see-saw shaker for 17 days. After 21 days, chondrogenically induced iPSC (CI-iPSC) constructs contained chondrocyte-like cells with abundant ECM components. Shaking culture significantly promoted cell aggregation, and induced significantly higher expression of chondrogenic-related marker genes than static culture at day 21. Immunohistochemical analysis also revealed higher chondrogenic protein expression. Furthemore, in the shaking groups, CI-iPSCs showed upregulation of TGF-β and Wnt signaling-related genes, which are known to play an important role in regulating cartilage development. These results suggest that shaking culture activates TGF-β expression and Wnt signaling to promote chondrogenic differentiation in mouse iPSCs in vitro. Shaking culture, a simple and convenient approach, could provide a promising strategy for iPSC-based cartilage bioengineering for study of disease mechanisms and new therapies.Humic acid (HA) is composed of a complex supramolecular association and is produced by humification of organic matters in soil environments. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/hdm201.html HA not only improves soil fertility, but also stimulates plant growth. Although numerous bioactivities of HA have been reported, the molecular evidences have not yet been elucidated. Here, we performed transcriptomic analysis to identify the HA-prompted molecular mechanisms in Arabidopsis. Gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed that HA up-regulates diverse genes involved in the response to stress, especially to heat. Heat stress causes dramatic induction in unique gene families such as Heat-Shock Protein (HSP) coding genes including HSP101, HSP81.1, HSP26.5, HSP23.6, and HSP17.6A. HSPs mainly function as molecular chaperones to protect against thermal denaturation of substrates and facilitate refolding of denatured substrates. Interestingly, wild-type plants grown in HA were heat-tolerant compared to those grown in the absence of HA, whereas Arabidopsis HSP101 null mutant (hot1) was insensitive to HA. We also validated that HA accelerates the transcriptional expression of HSPs. Overall, these results suggest that HSP101 is a molecular target of HA promoting heat-stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. Our transcriptome information contributes to understanding the acquired genetic and agronomic traits by HA conferring tolerance to environmental stresses in plants.Magnesium is the lightest structural engineering material and bears high potential to manufacture automotive components, medical implants and energy storage systems. However, the practical use of untreated magnesium alloys is restricted as they are prone to corrosion. An essential prerequisite for the control or prevention of the degradation process is a deeper understanding of the underlying corrosion mechanisms. Prior investigations of the formation of gaseous hydrogen during the corrosion of magnesium indicated that the predominant mechanism for this process follows the Volmer-Heyrovský rather than the previously assumed Volmer-Tafel pathway. However, the energetic and electronic states of both reaction paths as well as the charge state of dissolved magnesium have not been fully unraveled yet. In this study, density functional theory calculations were employed to determine these parameters for the Volmer, Tafel and Heyrovský steps to gain a comprehensive understanding of the major corrosion mechanisms responsible for the degradation of magnesium.Pertussis is a highly contagious disease for which prompt, point-of-care diagnosis remains an unmet clinical need. Results from conventional test modalities (nucleic acid detection, serology, and culture) take hours to days. To overcome this challenge, we identified a new biomarker (tracheal colonization factor A, TcfA) for detection of Bordetella pertussis infection by lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA). We developed a library of 28 epitope-mapped monoclonal antibodies against TcfA and incorporated three antibodies into a LFIA. The LFIA did not cross-react with common bacterial or fungal organisms, but did react with nine distinct B. pertussis strains. The minimal linear epitope sequences targeted by the LFIA were conserved in 98% of 954 B. pertussis isolates collected across 12 countries from 1949-2017. The LFIA's limit of detection was 3.0?×?105 CFU/mL with B. pertussis cells in buffer, 6.2?×?105 CFU/mL with nasopharyngeal washes from a non-human primate model, and 2.3 ng/mL with recombinant TcfA. The LFIA reacted with patient nasopharyngeal swab specimens containing as few as 1.8?×?106 B. pertussis genomes/mL and showed no false-positives. Rapid ( less then ?20 min) LFIA detection of TcfA as a biomarker for B. pertussis infection is feasible and may facilitate early detection of pertussis.A detailed computational study of the atmospheric reaction of the simplest Criegee intermediate CH2OO with methane has been performed using the density functional theory (DFT) method and high-level calculations. Solvation models were utilized to address the effect of water molecules on prominent reaction steps and their associated energies. The structures of all proposed mechanisms were optimized using B3LYP functional with several basis sets 6-31G(d), 6-31G (2df,p), 6-311++G(3df,3pd) and at M06-2X/6-31G(d) and APFD/6-31G(d) levels of theory. Furthermore, all structures were optimized at the B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) level of theory. The intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) analysis was performed for characterizing the transition states on the potential energy surfaces. Fifteen different mechanistic pathways were studied for the reaction of Criegee intermediate with methane. Both thermodynamic functions (ΔH and ΔG), and activation parameters (activation energies Ea, enthalpies of activation ΔH?, and Gibbs energies of activation ΔG?) were calculated for all pathways investigated.